West Papua

MSG Chair to facilitate Indo-Papua discussion

West Papua has seen a low-level separatist war since Jakarta took over the former Dutch colony in the 1960s.

Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare made the proposal in Honiara this week to a ULMWP delegation led by their secretary general Octo Mote.

Papuan leader freed after years in jail

Filep Karma was freed from a prison on the outskirts of Jayapura, the capital of Indonesia's Papua province.

Karma, the most prominent of Papua's political prisoners and convicted of raising a pro-independence flag, walked free from jail on Thursday to an emotional welcome by hundreds of cheering supporters.

Tags: 

ULMWP acknowledges Pacific leaders for supporting West Papua aspirations

The leasders brought up the issue at the recent 70th United Nations General Assembly in New York.

ULMWP spokesperson, Benny Wenda, expressed his deepest gratitude to the Pacific leaders and their people, saying, “on behalf of the people of West Papua, we the United Liberation Movement for West Papua would like to convey all our deepest and most sincere gratitude to our Pacific leaders for being the sole moral voices on West Papua at the United Nations.”

Sogavare urges UN Human Rights Council to address West Papua

Sogavare made the call in New York Thursday in his address at the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

“All states have a legal duty and moral responsibility to uphold, respect and promote human rights and where necessary take preventive, protective and punitive measures against human rights abuses or violations in accordance with the UN Charter and applicable international laws,” Sogavare said.

MSG chair highlight West Papua issue at UNGA

Sogavare's statement is the second statement from the Pacific that has raised concerns of human rights violations in West Papua, with emphasis for the UN to intervene.

Tongan Prime Minister this week also highlighted humanrights abuses facing people of West Papua.

The Solomon Islands Prime Minister informed  UNGA on the developments at the MSG and the Pacific Islands Forum, including the plea to Indonesia to accept unrestricted access to a possible mission of a fact finding mission to West Papua.

Tonga's PM highlights Papua issue at UN

Elements of the ethnic Melanesian population in West Papua are struggling for independence.

But Indonesia's reaction to their push for autonomy has sparked international concern about human rights abuses by military forces.

Tonga's Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva told the UN general assembly that the world community has a moral obligation to get involved.

"United Nations has a duty to closely follow up this West Papua case and necessary action be taken to stop these brutal and inhumane activities."

Native Affairs offers first NZ TV crew report for 50 years

For decades the Indonesian twin provinces of Papua and West Papua have been a no-go zone amid claims of genocide and extreme violence. 

Native Affairs sent a team to the region - the first such NZ crew granted access to the troubled area of Melanesia in a half century.

Reporter Adrian Stevanon has filed an in-depth report on Papua New Guinea's neighbour.

Pacific Media Centre postgraduate researcher on West Papuan affairs Karen Abplanalp, a photojournalist, was also part of the crew.

NZ doubtful that Indonesia will allow West Papua mission

Murray McCully's comments come after the Forum Chair and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said Jakarta had been accommodating recently.

Mr McCully has met with the Indonesian vice-minister for foreign affairs and a fact-finding mission into human rights was brought up.

"Well I did raise that with the vice-minister that we would certainly hope that if the idea was put forward that they would respond to it positively, but I have to say that I didn't get a very reassuring response to that."

Indonesia to refuse PIF leaders or work with them : Wale

This is the will of all the Pacific leaders and their people including Australia and New Zealand and PNG as chair is mandated to consult with Indonesia.

Little movement on climate change at Forum

The 46th meeting of Pacific Island Forum leaders meeting ended with an agreement to disagree on the contentious issue of climate change and a change in approach to fisheries management.

Climate change in particular dominated the week's discussions between the 16 member countries gathered in Papua New Guinea's capital Port Moresby.

Early on in the summit, conflicting views emerged as small island states like Kiribati and Palau reiterated their calls for greater action from the more developed nations like New Zealand and Australia on climate change.